Monday, July 02, 2007

All work, doncha know...

So after an arduous morning of doing laundry, reading Bruce Chatwin, and writing in a cafe whilst eating dulce de leche churros dipped in hot chocolate, I needed a break.

(Seriously - I forgot to get money out for my churros, and I wound up having to go to THREE banks to get out the 20 pesos I needed to pay. Buenos Aires ATM machines were FUCKED UP today. It was brutal.)

So I decided.... to go to the track!

Hipodromo Palermo is a beautiful, and enormous, track. At least as big as Belmont, if not bigger. And their picnic tables totally have ours beat.

If only because they are populated by charming portenos.

The races started at 3, and go until TEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. These guys are serious.

As the sun sets, everything looks more beautiful - the horses, the jockeys in their silks, the churned-up track.

But I wimped out. The wind kind of went out of my sails when I bet the trifecta (2 whole pesos!) on 8 1 6, and it came in 1 8 6. The kind of close that just makes you sad.

But I promise, I will be back. And I invite you all to come with me. And women get in free! Buenos Aires is my kind of town.